Single-seed metering devices are well known. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 8,375,874, which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety, discloses a single-seed metering device that can be used with a planting machine. Such a single-seed metering device includes a seed metering disc that comprises a plurality of seed pockets on a single side of the metering disc. As the metering disc rotates through a housing containing seeds, the disc picks up the seeds and retains them in the seed pockets. As the disc rotates, the seeds are held in place within the seed pockets via air-pressure. The seeds are held in place until the seeds are positioned over a dispensing tube, at which point the seeds are drop under the force of gravity into the dispensing tube. The seeds then travel through the dispensing tube where they are dispensed and/or planted within the ground soil. Although such single-seed metering devices are well-equipped for planting a single type of seed, such devices are not capable of efficiently planting more than one type of seed without stopping the planting machine and completely changing out the seed types.
In particular, if a user of single-seed metering device is required to plant more than one type of seed within a field, the user must complete substantial, time-consuming changes to the metering device. For example, once the user has finished planting a first type of seed, the user will have to completely stop the planting machine that is pushing/pulling the metering device through the field. The user will have to empty the metering device entirely of the first type of seed (as well as any seed bins that are feeding the metering device). The user will then be required to re-fill the seed bin with a second type of seed and then re-start the planting process. Furthermore, because of the rotation of the metering disc within the metering device, there will be at least some time period delay between the planting of the first seed and the planting of the second seed. During such time period delay, no seeds will be planted as the metering disc begins to pick up the second seed for planting. As such, the user is required to expend significant amounts of time and effort to plant more than one type of seed with standard, single-seed metering devices.